Daily Devotion: The Masterpiece of All Iniquity

“Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him” (Matthew 26: 67).

Having heard some of the sublimest words ever spoken by Jesus Christ, the highest representatives of the Jewish nation committed this shameful deed. They spit in the face that is the light of heaven, the joy of angels, the bliss of saints and the very brightness of the Father’s glory. This spitting shows us how far sin will go. If we want proof of the depravity of the heart of man, do not point to Sodom and Gomorrah, nor to places where blood was shed by wretches like Herod and men of that sort. No, the clearest proof that man is utterly fallen and the natural heart of enmity against God is seen in the fact that they did spit in His face, falsely accuse Him, condemn Him, and hang Him up as a felon that He might die upon the cross. What was there in His whole life that should give them occasion to spit in His face? Even at that moment, did He look upon them with contempt? Not Jesus, for He was all gentleness and tenderness even toward His enemies. He had healed their sick, fed their hungry, and had been among them, a very fountain of blessing up and down Judea and Samaria. Of all the horrible evils committed by uncivilized men, this is the masterpiece of all iniquity.

Humanity stands condemned of the blackest iniquity now that it has gone so far as to spit in Christ’s face. How deep was the humiliation of Christ? That He, the perfect man and perfect God, was made sin for us, was treated with utter shame and contempt.

O my Lord, to what terrible degradation were You brought! Into what depths are you dragged for my sin and the sin of all the multitudes whose iniquities were laid upon You! Let us hate sin not only because it pierced those blessed hands and feet of our dear Redeemer but also because it dared to spit in His face. Let us bow our heads and blush with shame. Let us think of this marvelous condescension and feel our hearts all on fire with love for Jesus, and let us worship Him forever.